At this time of year, the Babylonians made promises to their gods to pay outstanding debts, the Romans made similar promises to the god Janus and medieval knights took the “peacock vow”, reaffirming their commitment to all things chivalrous. Lo, the new year’s resolution was born.
For me, I have several resolutions for 2017, such were my failings over the past 12 months…
1) I will believe in lost and hopeless causes: the Chartered College of Teaching; the National College; Rachel de Souza’s apple pie and motherhood Parents and Teachers for Excellence; grammar schools. I will believe that they are relevant and not just a distraction.
2) I will be more positive about regional schools commissioners and CEOs of large MATs. I will not believe that this is the cult of the personality.
3) I will not become violently irate about the national funding formula and government policies generally. I will not be disillusioned because education is sliding down the list of Theresa May’s priorities.
4) I will stop reading Twitter late at night and posting rude comments to the lefty edu-crew - who know absolutely nothing about academies but pontificate anyway - and then immediately deleting said comment, in a kind of catch-me-if-you-can Russian roulette.
So that’s me sorted, then. But what of the rest of the sector? There is nothing more irksome than someone else “suggesting” a new year’s resolution for you, but the big players in MAT-land tend to have low self-awareness, so here goes…
Fellow MAT CEOs: I will stop awarding myself outrageous pay increases. Even if all of my academies are performing very well (at least in the eyes of Ofsted), I will use extra cash to reward my classroom colleagues so there is a direct benefit to students (remember them?).
Also, I will not cherrypick rebrokered academies. If I believe my model works, I will open my doors to any newcomers, however tough the job is and however challenging the financial liabilities.
I will not give my wife, husband, daughter, sister, nephew, aunt a job or contract, no matter their skill set.
Teach Firsters: I will stop spending my time on social media and writing facile blogs, and instead focus on honing my craft.
RSCs: I will see this job as a long-term career choice and not an opportunity to enhance my pension before I take a bigger job in MAT-land.
Sir David Carter, national schools commissioner: I will get my own house in order and ditch those RSCs not up to scratch.
Amanda Spielman, the new Ofsted boss: I will not, not, not, not succumb to the megalomania that apparently comes with the job.
Nick Gibb, schools minister: I will try not to obsess about phonics or Singapore maths, and recognise that there are other ways to determine whether a school is any good or not. I will remember that children love playing with sand, water and glitter.
Justine Greening, education secretary: I will be my own woman. I may have to hold my nose while I implement a policy I fundamentally don’t agree with but I will find a way to minimise the destruction.
Labour’s education team: we will become relevant. We will. We will.
Fellow teachers: whatever happens, however hard things get, I will remember why I came into teaching, that I am the lifeblood of the profession, and I will not leave.
Good luck, everyone. Together, we can make education great again.
The author is the chief executive of a multi-academy trust in England
